DePuy Orthopaedics, a division of Johnson & Johnson, issued a hip replacement recall in August of 2010 for the company’s Articular Surface Replacement (ASR) Hip Resurfacing System and ASR XL Acetabular total hip replacement, consequently due to data linking these products with substantially high failure rates. A serious condition that has added to the suffering of hip replacement recipients is metallosis.

 

Metallosis results from metal-on-metal friction of the hip implant causing release of potentially dangerous levels of chromium and cobalt, which are the heavy metals found in the implant components. These metallic particles are released because the metal components that make up the DePuy hip implants rub against each other to mimic the natural movement of the hip. Once released into the bloodstream, chromium and cobalt ions accumulate in different areas of the body and cause neurological damage and allergic reactions in the form of rashes. Ultimately, a large number of patients receiving these defective implants could be faced with having to undergo a second corrective hip implant surgery.

 

A study performed by English researchers at Oxford University showed that 3.4 percent of patients out of 660 who received DePuy metal hip implants experienced signs and symptoms associated with metallosis. In comparison, a group of 155 patients who received a competing manufacturer’s hip devices were examined and found to not have experienced similar side effects.

 

The lawsuit against DePuy Orthopaedics by recipients of the malfunctioning hip replacements stem from the fact that these patients feel DePuy did not sufficiently warn consumers about the harmful side effects caused by these hip devices. Information regarding ongoing litigation can be found on the DePuy hip recall website.